IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGFT  (MT-S) 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STilEET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  UStO 

(716)  873-4S03 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIViH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
origiral  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


n 


□ 
□ 


D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagee 


□    Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6d  et/ou  peilicul^e 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


□    Coloured  maps/ 
Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

n    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutdes 
lors  d'uno  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  film^es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaiids  suppl6mentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  ddtails 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 


I      I    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 


ui 


Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  peliiculdes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolor^es,  tachetdes  Du  piqu6es 


□    Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 

r~>^Showthrough/ 
I— J    Transparence 

I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Quality  in^gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


D 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  filmdes  d  nouveau  de  fagon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


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This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous 

10X                            Wk                            18X                            22X 

26X 

wm 

/ 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

Th«  copy  ffllm«d  h«r«  ha*  b—n  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archivei  of  British  Columbia 


L'axamplaira  filmA  fut  raprodult  grica  A  la 
g4n4rosltA  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


Tha  imar«aa  appaaring  h«ra  ara  tha  baat  quality 
posslbia  consldaring  tha  condition  and  laglbllity 
of  tha  original  copy  and  In  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apacifications. 


Original  copiat  in  prlntad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printat*  op  illustratad  impras- 
sion.  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion.  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illustratad  imprassion. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  microficha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  — ^>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  Y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichavar  applies. 


Las  images  suivantas  ont  At*  raproduitaa  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin.  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
da  la  natteti  da  I'axempiaire  film*,  et  en 
conformiti  avac  las  conditions  du  :ontrat  da 
filmage. 

Les  exemplairas  originaux  dont  la  couvarture  en 
papier  est  imprimAe  sont  filmAs  en  commen^ant 
par  la  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
darniire  paga  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iilustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplairas 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commonpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iilustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derniAra  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — »>  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc..  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hend  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  tha 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvant  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  rAduction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA,  il  est  filmA  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  geuche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'imagas  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1  2  3 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

NWp 


SIEUR  DE  LA  VERENDEYE 


\J 


AND  HIS  SONS, 


THE 


DISCOVERERS  OF  THl-: 


ROCKY  MOUNTAINS, 


By  way  of  Lakes  Superior  and  Winnipeg,  and  Rivers  Assinelioin 

antl  Missouri. 


"  If  I  succeed,  as  I  hope,  I  shall  have  the  pleasure  and  consolation  of  having  rendered  a  good 
service  to  geography,  to  relii,'ion,  and  to  the  state  " — Hoheto  DeL'  Isle,  xManh,  l-jlb. 


BV 


K«v.  KDWAIID  I).  NKTT.T.. 

Pi'e.><i(lout   of  lM:ic'al«'f-i((M'  (.'oUeae, 

Cor.   Mem.  Mass.  Hist,  Soc,  Author  of    "Virginia  ("ompany,"    "Terra  Marlae, 
"  English  Colonization  of  America,'    "  History  of  Minnesota,"    etc. 


MINNKAI'OI.IS,  MINN. 

JOHNSON   k    SMITH,    I'RINTIKS. 

1875. 


JlIN  2   '67 


;) 


;) 


SIEUR  DE  LA  VERENDRYE. 


Three-Rivers,  at  the  confluence  of  the  St.  Maurice  with  the 
St.  Lawrence,  ninety  miles  from  Quebec,  is  one  of  the  oldest 
hamlets  ot  Canada.  A  wedding  here  took  place  on  September 
26,  1667,  which  received  some  notice  at  the  time.  On  rhat 
day,  Marie  Boucher,  the  daughter  of  the  governor  of  the  village, 
and  rnly  twelve  years  of  age.  was  made  the  wife  of  Lt.  Rene 
Gaultier  Varennes. 

The  son-in-law  soon  succeeded  Boucher,  and  for  twenty-two 
years  was  the  governor  of  Three-Rivers,  and  one  of  hi  .  sons, 
I'ierre  (faultier  de  V^arennes.  was  the  Sieur  de  la  Verendrye, 
the  subject  of  this  paper,  and  the  first  European  explorer  of  a 
northern  route  to  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

When  a  young  man,  he  joined,  in  1697,  a  war  expedition 
against  New  England,  and  in  1705  was  fighting  with  the  French 
army  in  Flanders.  Returning  to  Canada,  he  identifi-d  himself 
with  the  o  ening  of  the  great  unknown  West. 

In  1 7 16,  liobe,  a  learned  priest  at  Versailles,  who  had  exposed 
the  deception  of  Lahontan  in  placing  Long  River  on  his  map, 
was  constantly  urging  the  French  government  to  search  for  a 
northern  route  to  the  Pacific.  On  the  15th  of  xMarch,  1716,  he 
wrote  to  De  LTsle,  geographer  of  the  Academy  of  Science  at 
Paris :  "  They  tell  me  that  among  the  Scioux  of  the  Mississippi, 

I.     Parkman's  "Old  Keyimc  in  Canada,"  p.  227. 


k.ii7tiim 


tluMc  arc  always  l''rcnclinicn  tradinLj  ;  tli.it  tlic  Cdiirsc  of  the 
Mississippi  is  from  riortli  to  west  ainl  from  w  c^t  to  south  ;  that 
it  is  known  that  toward  the  source  there  is  in  the  hii^hlands  a 
a  ri\'er  that  leads  to  tlie  western  oc  an.  "  ■'•■  ■"'•■  ■"  *  h'or 
tlic  last  two  years  I  torment  exceed inijly  the  (lovernor-Cleneral, 
Mr.  Raudot,  and  M.  Duche,  to  endeavor  to  discover  this  ocean. 
If  1  succeed  as  I  h.ope,  we  shall  have  ti(linL,'-^  hefore  three  years, 
and  I  shall  have  the  pleasure  and  the  cfinsolation  of  haviii;^ 
rendered  a  good  service  to  geosTra[)h\',  to  rL-h'u;ii>n,  and  to  the 
state. 

.  Mis  importunity  received  its  rewdrd,  and  in  1717,  the  post 
erected  by  DuLuth  in  1678,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Supeiior,  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Kamanistigoya,  was  re-established  by  Lieut. 
Robcrtel  de  la  None,  and,  in  1727,  another  built  among  the 
Sioux,  with  a  view  to  pushing  westward  the  power  of  France. 

Verendrye,  in  1728,  was  stationed  at  Lake  Nepigon,  whose 
waters  How  into  Lake  Superior  from  t!ie  north."  While  here, 
the  Indians  were  so  positive  rel.itive  to  a  rix'cr  which  flowed 
toward  a  sea  of  the  west,  that  he  resolved  to  make  an  explora- 
tion. .\t  Mackinaw,  while  on  his  way  to  confer  with  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Canada  uj)on  the  subject,  J^'ather  du  Gonor  arrived 
from  the  post  which  had  been  established  among  the  Sioux, 
nearly  opposite  Maiden  Rock,  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Pepin. 
After  an  interchange  of  views,  the  priest  promised  to  assist 
him,  as  far  as  he  could,  in  obtaining  a  permit  a. id  outfit  for  the 
establishment  of  a  post  among  the  "  Cristinaux,"  or  the 
"  Assiniboels,"  from  which  to  go  farther  west.^ 


■J.    Historic;il  .M;iH:iziiie,  Now  N'ork.      Au.s^ust,  1859. 

3.  For  many  of  tlie  facts  oi  this  article,  I  am  iiidulitcd  to  two  articles  of  Pierre  Margry ,  pultlislied 
ill  "  Monil'.-nr  I'litTcrse/." 

4.  Thcjesiiii  (hi  <  lonor,  with  his  associate  Guignas,  came  to  I^aVe  Pc'iiiii  with  La  Perriere  Roiicher, 
who  had  made  himself  notorious  in  Massacliiisetis,  by  leadiiiL;  the  Iiulian  attack  on  tiaverhill.  They 
arrived  on  Sept.  17,  1727,  and  erected  Fort  Heaiihariiois,  opposite  Midden's  Rock  on  a  low  point.  In 
the  spring  of  17.'8,  the  water  rose  two  feet  and  eight  inches  al)o\i:  the  lloois  of  the  post  I'clow  Lake 
Pepin,  ill  1683,  Perrot  established  a  post.  Above  Lake  Pepin,  on  Prairie  Isl.iml,  a  stockade  was 
erected  in  1695.     On  a  creek  of  the  Blue  I'.artli,  not  far  from  Mankahto,  LeSiier  had  a  post  in  1700. 


■  Charles  dc  Hc.iviharnois,  then  Ciovc-nior  of  Canada.  <^avc  him 
a  respectful  hearing,  and  carcfnll\-  examined  the  inaj)  of  the 
region  west  of  the  great  lakes,  which  had  been  dr.iwn  In 
Otchaga,  the  Indian  guide  of  V'erendrye,  Orders  were  soon 
given  to  fit  rut  an  expedition  of  fifty  men.  It  left  IVIontreal  in 
1731,  under  the-  conduct  of  his  sons  ami  ne])hew,  he  not  joining 
the  1  art>-  till  17:53.  in  conse(iuence  of  the  detentions  of  business, 
in  the  Auttimn  of  1731,  the  part\-  reached  Raiii)-  Lake.  b\- 
the  Nantouagan,  or  Croselliers  ri\er,  now  called  I'igeon. 
r'ather  Messa\er.  who  had  been  stationed  on  Lake  Superior, 
at  the  Groselliers  river,  was  taken  as  a  spiritual  guide.  At  the 
foot  of  Rain)'  Lake  a  post  was  erected  and  called  i'\)rt  St. 
Pierre,  and  the  next  year,  having  crossed  Minnittie.  or  Lake 
of  the  Woods,  they  established  L'ort  St.  Clvaies  on  its  south- 
western l)ank.  I''ive  leagues- from  Lake  W'i'Miipeg  they  estab- 
lished a  post  on  the  ,\>siniboine."  The  river  Winnipeg,  called 
by  them  Maurepas.  in  honor  of  the  minister  of  France  in  1734, 
was  protected  by  a  fort  of  the  same  name. 

About  this  time  their  advance  was  stoppeil  by  the  exhaus- 
tion of  supplies,  but  on  the  12th  ofyXpril,  I  735.  an  arrangement 
was  made  lor  a  second  e(|uipment,  and  a  fourth  .son  joined  the 
expedition. 

In  June.  1736.  while  twent\-one  Oi  the  expedition  were 
camped  upon  an  isle  in  the  Lake  of  the  Woods,  they  were 
surprised  by  a  band  of  Sioux,  hostile  to  the  French  allies,  the 
Cristinaux,  and  all  killed.  The  island  upon  this  account  is 
called  in  the  early  maps,  Massacre  Island.     A  few  days  after,  a 

5-  Groselliei-s  and  K'adisson,  aclvciUuroii^  fiii-  traders,  aljniit  tin;  year  i6()..,  went  li\  lln-  (hand 
Pormge  to  Lake  \\mnipcg,  and  were  the  first  Kiinipeaiis  lo  yo  troiii  thence  to  the  bottom  of  Hud- 
son s  May.  It  has  been  s.iid  that  tlie  river  was  called  after  the  trader,  but  it  may  be  after  the  wiUI 
gooseberry  biish,  {hiiscillicy. 

'>.  Named  troni  the  As^inetboins.  a  separate  b.iiid  of  the  Sioux,  or  O.ikoialis,  and  known  anioni; 
themselves  as  I lohays  Kisii  .Setters.  The  Chippeuays  e.dl  them  .Asseen.iv  liw.ms,  Stones  Siun.v. 
laving  on  the  wide  pr.tiries.  tliey  were  tor  tlie  want  of  fuel  obliged  to  cook  their  fish  by  warmiiii'  the 
w.iter  with  hot  stones. 

A  Jesuit  Relation  written  more  than  two  hiinrlred  years  ago,  says  :  '•  .As  wood  is  very  scarce  and 
siiiali  with  them,  natme  has  tan^iht  them  to  burn  stones  in  pi. ice  ot  it',  and  to  cover  their  wigwams  with 
skins.     .Some  have  built  mud  cabins  nearly  in  the  same  manner  as  sw.dlows  build  their  nests." 


party  of  five  Canadian  voya^eiirs  discovered  their  dead  bodies 
and  scalped  heads,  bather  (~)uneaii  the  missionar)-,  was  found 
upon  one  knje,  an  arrow  in  his  head,  liis  breast  bare,  his  left 
hand  toiichin|^  the  ground,  and  the  riijht  hand  raised. 

Among  tlic  slauf^litcred  was  also  a  son  of  V'erenchye,  who 
had  a  toinaliawk  in  his  back,  and  his  body  adorned  with  <jarters 
and  bracelets  of  porcupine.  The  father  was  at  the  foot  of  the 
Lake  of  the  Woods  when  he  received  the  news  of  his  son's 
murder,  and  about  the  s.ime  time  heard  of  tlie  death  of  his 
enterprising  ne[)hew  Dufrost  de  la  Jemerays,  tlie  son  of  his 
sister  Marie  Reltie  de  Varennes,  and  brother  of  Madame  You- 
ville.  the  foundress  of  the  Hospitaliers  at  Montreal." 

It  was  under  the  guidance  of  the  latter  that  the  party  had, 
in  1 73 1,  mastered  the  difficulties  of  the  Nantaouagon,  or 
Groselliers  river. 

On  the  3d  of  October,  173J?,  they  built  an  advanced  post, 
Fort  La  Reine,  on  the  river  Assiniboels,  which  they  called 
St.  Charles,  and  beyond  was  a  ^  ich  called  St.  Pierre.  These 
two  rivers  received  the  baptis  name   of  Verendrye,  which 

was  Pierre,  and  Governor  Poauharnois,  which  was  Charles. 
The  post  became  the  centre  of  trade  and  point  of  departure 
for  explorations,  either  north  or  south. 

It  was  by  ascending  the  Assiniboine,  and  by  the  present  trail 
from  its  tributary  Mouse  river,  they  reached  the  country  of  the 
Mantanes,"  and  in  1742,  came  to  the  upper  Missouri,  passed  the 
Yellow  Stone,  and  at  length  arrived  at  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

7.  The  Indians  have  a  tradition  of  thi'.  occurrence.  Tliev  state  that  early  one  niorning  a  French 
canoe  with  eight  men.  left  a  trailing;  lioiise  which  the  Frem  li  liail  l)uilt  about  tlie  middle  of  tlie  Lake 
of  the  Woods,  and  slopped  upi  ii  an  island  near  the  last  pass  to  enter  the  river  of  K.iniy  Lake  The 
atmosphere  was  so  still  that  the  wind  coidd  hardly  he  felt  Having  hnilt  a  fire,  the  smoke  was  per- 
ceived by  Sioiix  warriors,  who  approached  ami  landed,  nnperccivi.'il,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  isle 
and  nias.sacretl  the  missionary  and  paity. — lieli  otirt  in  Minn    Hist.  Soc.  .liinuis,  /Sjj. 

8.  The  Mandans,  or  White  Beards,  of  the  Dakotah  fannly,  are  noted  for  beinc  grey-haired. 
SoiTictimes  children  si.\  years  of  age  have  this  appearance.  I'hey  were  nearly  destroyed  by  Small 
Pox  in  1837,  and  in  1874  they  lived  near  the  Arickarees  and  Oros  Ventres,  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort 
Bcrthold,  on  the  Missouri.  Fornierly  all  ilwelt  in  mud  cabins  siirrotnuled  by  ditches.  .'V  few  yet  live 
in  dirt  lodges. 


t;\ 


<A 


; 


The  parly  was  knl  by  the  eldest  s..n  an.i  Iiis  brother  the  chewv 
h'cr.  They  left  the  Lake  of  the  Woods  on  the  29th  of  April, 
1742,  came  in  sight  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  on  the  1st  of 
January,  F743,  «"cl  on  the  12th  ascended  them.  On  the  route 
thcv  tell  in  with  the  Heaux  Homines,  I'joya,  Telits  Renards, 
and  Arc  tribes,  and  stopped  amon<r  the  Snake  tribe,  but  could 
go  no  farther  in  a  southerly  direction  owing  to  a  war  between 
the  Arcs  and  Snakes." 

On  the  19th  of  May,  1744.  they  had  returned  to  the  upper 
Missouri,  and  in  the  country  of  the  I'etite  Cerise'"  tribe,  they 
planted  on  an  eminence  a  leaden  plate  of  the  arms  of  hVance, 
and  raised  a  monument  of  stones,  which  they  called  Beauhar- 
nois.  They  returned  to  the  Lake  of  the  Woods  on  the  ^d  of 
July. 

North  cf  the  Assiniboine  they  proceeded  to  Lake  Dauphin, 
Swan's  Lake,  explored  thj  river  "  Des  Biches,"  and  ascended 
even  to  the  fork  of  the  Saskatchewan,  which  they  called 
Poskoiac.  Two  forts  were  subsequcntlj-  established,  one  near 
Lake  Dauphin, and  the  other  on  the  river  "des  l^iches,"  called 
Fort  Bourbon.  The  northern  route,  by  the  Saskatchewan,  was 
thought  to  have  some  advantage  over  the  Missouri,  because 
there  was  no  danger  of  meeting  with  tlie  Spaniards. 

Governor  Beauharnois  having  been  prejudiced  against 
■  Verendrye  by  envious  persons,  1  "e  Noyelles  was  appointed  to 
take  command  of  the  posts.  During  these  difficulties,  we 
find  Sieur  de  la  Verendrye,  Jr.,  engaged  in  other  duties.  In 
August,  1747,  he  arrives  from  Mackinaw  at  Montreal,  and  in 
the  autumn  of  that  year  he  accompanies  St.  Pierre  to  Mack- 
inaw,  and  brings  back  the  convoy  to  Montreal.  In  February, 
1748,  with  five  Canadiaps,  five  Cristenaux,  two  Ottawas,  and  one 


IlpI^V.l  ^  M  7^^  ^^'  '*"=  ArK:arecs  The  Hrst  attempt  to  trace  the  Upper  Missouri  is 
Thll^t  .\^h ''  ''"|"^''-"'=''  ^'"J,""  t  'he  "  Aricaras-  are  n.arked  as  dwellinK  m.rtl,  of  the  Pawn 
1  hey  speak  the  same  la.igi.age.     In  1S74  tliey  hved  i.ear  Fori   ierthold,  ai.d  wereabo 


on 

iiwnees, 
ill  nniiiber. 


10,  Petite  Cerise— Choke-cherry. 


697898 


^aiitciir,  he  .ittackcd  the  Mohawks  near  Schenectady,  and 
rctiirtiLil  to  Montreal  with  two  scalps,  one.  that  of  a  chief.' 
( )n  June  JOth.  174S,  it  is  ri'corded  that  ("hevalier  la  \'c:-ench'>'e 
departed  from  Montreal  for  the  West  Sea.  M.i^rv  states  that 
he  perished  at  sea  in  Noveniher,  ijf'i.  hv  the  wreck  of  tin- 
"  y\uj;iiste." 

I'ortunately,  ( lalissoniere  the  successor  of  Iieauh.irnoi^, 
althou<;li  defornied  and  insit^Miit'icanl  in  apiKMr.uKc.  w.is  fair 
minded,  a  loxer  of  science,  esi)ecial!y  l>()t my,  and  anxious  to 
push  discoveries  toward  the  i'.icit'ic.  \'erendr)e  t!.e  fatlier 
was  restored  to  la\(ir,  and  made  l"a])tain  of  the  ( )i(ler  of  St. 
Louis,  find  ordereii  to  resume  e\'[)lor.ilions.  While  planninjr  a 
tour  uj)  the  Saskatchewan,  he  died  on    Doc.  C)[h,  I  749. 

The  Swedish  Professor  Kalni  met  him  in  Canad.i,  not  loni^ 
before  liis  decease,  and  had  intere.tinL;  coiuersatitjii-.  with  nim 
about  the  furrows  on  the  plains  of  the  Missouri,  which  he 
erroneouvl}'  conjectured  indicated  the  former  aboile  ot  an  at^ri- 
cultural  people.  These  ruts  are  faniiliar  to  iiKHlern  ira\elers,, 
and  are  onl\-  buffalo  trails. 

I^'ather  Cocpi.u'il.  who  had  been  associated  with  V'ereiidrye, 
.says  th.it  they  first  met  tiie  Mantanes,  and  next  the  Brochets." 
After  these  were  theCiros  X'entres,'"  the  Crows,  'the  I'^lat  lieads,'* 
the  Black  Feet,'   and    Dog  hY-et,    who*  were   establisheil  on  the 

11.  IVrliMp*  tho  I'ldchct  or  Firth  trilic,  Miay  l>o  lln;  A-i'liicluiins.  'I'hi-  DjUotiih'- ■.  ,ill  thtsi'  Huliays, 
or  !•  ish  iicltcrN.      Fish  were  cotpkeil  by  lieatiiii:  llie  w.tter  with  hoi  si. -lies. 

12.  'I'he  Oros  N'eiities  aiul  tji'ws  are  haiiiis  of  ihr  Miiiiielarees,  ami  beliiij^  to  llie  l>akotalt 
faiiiily.  'l'lu;y  are  Iciiiul  on  the  tiiliul.iries  of  the  l.'i>|ier  Misv.uri  ami  Wllmv  Stone.  riu-  Crows  arc 
called  .Ahsar.ilsis  or  I'psaroka.  The  (jros  \'eiitres  are  said  to  have  formerly  lived  on  the  .Vssinelioine 
r'-nd  Red  Ki\er.  ( lov.  Kaiiisey  olMinnesot.i,  in  a  Ri;|jort  in  1850  to  Com  of  Imliai.  \lTairs,  .says  ; 
"  llie  I  hiefof  Keil  lake  l'hip))e\..iys  ol  Miimesota  'some  yi;ars  ayo  met  a  villayeol  !  iros  Ventres' 
tow. ird  the  sources  of  the  Miss'Hiri,  I'hey  learned  that  the  smoke  of  the  (Iros  \  e'ntres'  lodjjes  onee 
arose  at  Sandy  Lake:  that  they  had  a  large  \il!.it;e  of  e.irthen  houses  at  the  month  of  the  Savanna 
river,  whieh  empties  into  the  St,  l.uiiis."  "     (Iros  N'entres  now  mimher  O',io. 

I  ^,.  I'he  River  Clrows  roam  between  the  .Missoiui  and  M.ui,!*  riveis,  and  nimiber  i2oi>.  The 
Moiuil.iiii  Crows  are  in  the  valley  of  the  Yellow  Stone,  and  aie  estimated  at  3,00  1. 

H.  I'he  I'l.it  HeaJs  live  west  of  the  Roeky  Mount.iiiis,  in  the  vii  inily  of  flat  HL'ad  Lake  anit 
River,  'riiey  are  estiiiiated  to  be  aUmt  luii.  Are  nnieh  diminished  by  wars  with  the  I'laikfeet. 
'rhey  hunt  lot  IjufT.ilo  on  tlie  [ilains  east  of  the  mountains. 

1;,.  I'he  Black  ^'eel,  or  Satiska,  are  divided  into  (iloods,  i:;6o;  I'iueou,  or  Pheasants.  ^4-0;  and 
Klack  I'eet,  I5<ji).  Some  of  the  ( iros  Ventres  are  now  incorponited  with  them.  I'hey  are  between 
ihe  Missouri.  Sun,  and  Marias  rivers. 


IMisscniri,  even  up  tn  the  I'. ills,  and   that   about   thirty  leagues 
beyond  thi:\'  tuuud  a  u  iricnv'  pass  in  tlie  mountains,'" 

Hou;.TaiinilIe  ^ives  a  inf)re  lull  aeeount  ;  he  sa\'s  :  "  lie  who 
most  advanced  tills  discovery  was  the  Sieur  de  la  X'ei.mderie. 
lie  went  iVoni  j-'ort  la  Keine  to  the  Missouri,  lie  met  on  the 
banks  of  this  river  the  Mandans,  or  White  Meards,  who  h.ul 
seven  \  i!!a;j;es  with  piui,  stockades,  st,ren;4theni'(l  1)\-  a  ditch. 
Next  to  thr-^c  wen-  the  Kinon;j;ewiniris,  or  the  Hrochets,  in 
three  \illa<^es-.  and  towartl  the  upper  part  of  the  ri\i;r  were 
three  villa^^es  of  the  Mahantas.'"  All  alon;:;  the  mouth  ^-^S.  the 
Wabiek,  or  Siull'"  river,  were  situated  twent\--three  vill.ii^i's  of 
the  I'anis.  To  the  southwest  ol  this  ri\er.  on  tin-  banks  of  tin; 
( )iian  iradeba,  or  I.a  (irais-^e,"are  the  llectanes,  or  Snake  n-ibe." 
The)'  extend  to  tlie  base  of  a  chain  (»f  mountains  vvh'ch  runs 
north  northeast.  South  of  this  is  the  river  Kavoskion,  or 
Ccrisi'  I'elee.  which  is  sujtiiosed  to  llow  to  California." 


W 


I'i.  I  111' I'liiirr  M'lii.-iiir,  lis  i|iinic'n)y  M.'.'^ry  ill  .1  IrtiiT  d.iloi  I  July  -\\\  i77i,  ri.Miis,  '•  rr<iu\<;iil 
Itrs  (iiiruTs  ilf»  Ml  ■  iii  i-iuic  lilt  .\l.Mil:i>;in.'<  it  l<-  Mi-.'-niiii  c»i  iii  dci  li:irm-  (III  I.;ii;  'ml  on  lie 
I  nliiiiiil  p;i>  riiili'iulip;." 

Mull. Ill  111  \l.i|)  ni".,  Milit.iry  K(i:i(l  fniiii  Kort  Hriit<'ii  on  tlu'  Missciiiri,  to  Fnri  W.ill.i  W.tll.i  on  the 
Ciiliiniliiii,  iiiiiiUs  i'l.it  ll.iul  l,.il.i.',  ".liusL- w.ilcr>  i;nli.i-  ill..  I'.n  ili'.  by  llic  Ci'l'i.iilii;i  Rivci ,  and  arc 
AiTV  ncT  ilic  siiiiri;i.N  of  the  Marias,  a  Iriluitary  of  the  Miisouri. 

Ai  llii  (late  ofthc  Rotky  Miiiiiil;iilis  liie  Frii.kly  IVar  river  e  ter>  (he  Mi^Niiiii,  «lu>^<  litMil 
waters  (I  iw  lhroiii;li  Miribii'>  l'a>s,  and  arc  iioi  lar  distant  from  the  I'illei  Koot  Uiver.  wliese  waurs 
enter  the  C^ihnnlii.i, 

I'he  Midlson  liranch  of  the  Missouri  nearly  iiUerloi  ks  with  the  disehargc  of  \'ellow  Stone  I.nke, 
and  the  Je(fersoii  Fork  is  a  short  distance  from  the  head  \v. iters  of  the  Snake  river,  a  Irilmtary  of  the 

( 'oluiiibia. 

17.  I'he  Malias,  I'r  I 'in  ihas  •11  I  •>■  l.'lslc's  Map  ol  1  oiiisitiia  are  m,iiki;d  a-  near 'he  AJoiie/ 
Ani^lici/ed  loways.      They  live  11. nv  on  tlie  Missouri,  in  eastern  Nehraska,  aiul  niiiiiber  ahoiit  i,o.,<). 

iH,    IVrliajis  tlie  Mussel  Slijll  I'iiv  er  of  inodein  maps. 

ic)  I  he  I'aH  lui  s.  on  I 'e  I. 'Isle's  map  are  iiiarkeil  on  die  Nfissoiiri,  and  on  Panis,  now  Platte 
river.  JeilVys,  on  his  map,  m.irks  a  trihe  west  of  I  .li.e  Wiiiiiipe);,  called  Cris  Panis  HIanc.  iJrake 
speaks  of  While  Pawnees,  Freckled  P.iwnees,  ami  I'awiiees  ot  the  I'lalle.  I'liey  now  number  ahoiit 
li-ioo.  and  dwell  ,111  a  reserv.ilioii  <iii  .1  braiu  h  o|  the   I'latle.  in  Nelir.i'.ka. 

-.?o.  /.,/  (wif/.ov.  'Ihere  is  a  shrub  ealled  (Jrease  bu>h,  like  ihe  enrraii;  luisb,  from  winch  the 
Indians  of  I'pper  Missouri  u-ed  lo  make  arrow  sliafls.  In  the  Wind  River  \alley  is  Urease  wood 
t'reek. 

<  )im.iraileba.  perh.ijis  deri\ed  fn-ini  the    Dakoi.ih  Wasiia   'Oiiasnat  i;rease,  ami   Walpa  (Oiiadeba) 


21.  I'he  Snakes  are  known  as  Shoshonecs,  Honaeks,  or  Dinners.  The  Hief.ins,  Pad'mcas,  or 
r<Mnani  lies  ot  I'exas,  as  well  as  the  Utahs,  are  offshoots  of  this  nation.  In  He  L'Isle's  map,  the 
I'adoiicas  are  iii.irk"d  as  dwelliri;  from  llie  I'pper  Missouri  to  the  Arkansas.  .Miont  iS.,.,  Shoshonees 
.ire  on  a  reservation  in  Wind  Kiver  valley,  Wyoming,  and  1500  are  aboiii  I'ort  H.id  or  Snake  River, 
in  Idaho. 

22.  Near  the  southern  sources  of  ihe  Mis-.oiiri  are  fmnd  the  head-waters  of  the  Colorado,  whose 
month  is  in  the  (jull  of  Cal.fornia. 


ro 

"  He  found  in  the  immense  region  watered  by  the  Missouri, 
and  in  the  vicinity  of  forty  leagues,  the  Mahantas,  the  Ovvili- 
niock,  or  Beaux  Hommes,  four  villages  ;  opposite  the  Brochet:y 
the  Black  Feet,  three  villages  of  :;  hundred  lodges,  each  ; 
opposite  the  Mandans  are  the  Ospekakaercnousques,  or  Flat 
Heads,  four  villages  ;  ojiposite  the  Panis  arc  the  Arcs  of 
Cristinaux,  and  Utasibaoutchactas  of  Assinibocl,  three 
villages  ;  following  these  the  Makesch,  or  Little  Foxes,  two' 
villages  ;  the  Piwassa,  or  Great  Talkers,  three  villages  ;  the 
Kakokoschena,  or  Gens  de  la  Tie,  five  villages  ;  the  Kiskipi- 
sounouini,  or  the  Garter  tribe,  seven  villages." 

Galassoniere  was  succeeded  b}'  Jon([uiere  in  the  governor- 
ship of  Canada,  who  proved  to  be  a  grasping,  peevish,  and  very 
miserly  person.  For  the  sons  of  X'ercndrye  he  had  no  sym- 
pathy, and  forming  a  clic[ue  to  profit  by  their  father's  toils,  lie 
determined  to  send  two  expeditions  toward  the  Pacific  ocean, 
one  by  the  Missouri,  and  the  other  by  the  Saskatchewan. 

r'ather  Coquard,  one  of  the  companions  of  Verendrye,  wa.s 
consulted  as  to  the  probability  of  finding  a  pass  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  through  which  they  might,  in  c.moes,  reach  the 
great  lake  of  salt  water,  pei'haps  l\iget's  Sound. 

The  enterprise  was  at  length  confided    to    two    experienced 

officers,  Lamarcjue  de  Marin  and  Jacques  Legardeur  de  Saint 
Pierre.'""  The  former  was  assigned  the  way.  by  the  Missouri,  a;'d 

to  the  latter  was  given  the  more  northern  route  ;  but  Saint 
Pierre  in  some  way  excited  the  hostility  of  the  Cristinaux, 
who  attempted  to  kill  him,  and  burned  F""ort  La  Reine.  His 
lieutenant,    l^oucher    de    Niverville,'"^  who  had    been    sent    to 


23.  St.  ['ierre  in  1737  w.is  stationed  at  Fort  Moairharnois  on  t.akc  I'cpin.  Tlu'  Jesuit  Coquard, 
the  old  associate  of  Verendrye,  was  i)re>ent  in  Scptenilier,  1755,  at  tlieliaitle  near  Lake  (leorgo,  anil 
in  a  letter  to  his  brother,  says  :  "  we  lost  on  tii at  occasion  a  lirave  olTicer,  M    dc  St.  I'ierre." 

24  Roucher  de  Niverville  in  1746  left  Montre.il  tn  ainioy  the  New  Kn;;laiid  settlements,  and 
returned  in  Mayvith  John  SpafTord  and  Israel  Parker  prisoners.  In  I7.j«i  he  attacked  the  stockade 
at  Fall  Mountain,  Charlestown,  Xev  1 1  inipshire,  ami  during  this  r.iid  burned  three  churches.  In 
August,  1748,  he  was  alarming  the  people  at  Williaiustowu.  Fort  .Massachusetts.  I'hree  years  later 
he  is  burning  houses  and  capturing  horses  in  Virginia  on  tlic  b.iuks  of  the  Potomac,  15  leagues  from 
Fort  Cumberland  Ho  is  next  at  the  siege  of  Fort  Willi.uii  Henry,  and  then  with  Montcalm,  in  his 
contest  with  Wolfe. 


11 

establish  a  post  toward  the  source  of  the  Saskatchewan,  failed 
on  account  of  sickness.  Some  of  his  men,  however,  pushed  on 
to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  in  1753,  established  Fort  Jon- 
quiere.     Henry  says  St.  Pierre  established  Fort  Bourbon. 

In  1753  Saint  Pierre  was  succeeded  in  the  command  of  the 
posts  of  the  West,  by  de  la  Corne,  and  sent  to  French  Creek, 
in  Pennsylvania.  He  had  been  but  a  few  days  there  when  he 
received  a  visit  from  Washington,  just  entering  upon  manhood, 
bearing  a  letter  from  Governor  Dinwiddle  of  Virginia,  com- 
plaining of  the  encroachments  of  the  French. 

Soon  the  clash  of  arms  between  France  and  England  began, 
and  Saint  Pierre,  at  the  head  of  the  Indian  allies,  fell  near 
Lake  George,  in  September,  1755,  in  a  battle  with  the  English. 
After  the  seven  years'  war  was  concluded,  by  the  treaty  of 
Paris,  the  French  relinquished  all  their  posts  in  the  Northwest, 
and  the  work  begun  by  Verendrye,  was,  in  1805,  completed  by 
Lewis  and  Clarke ;  and  the  Northern  Pacific  Railway  is  fast 
approaching  the  passes  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  through  the 
valley  of  the  Yellow  Stone,  and  from  then.e  to  the  great  land- 
locked bay  of  the  ocean,  Puget's  Sound. 


